These aids are also a great interactive way to introduce and practice rhythmic dictation.  Here’s a look at a how we’ve been practicing our dictation skills this year:

Each student needs their own beat board (or set of boards).   For this example, I designated that we would be using 2-measure rhythm patterns in 4/4 time.  Students use a dry erase marker to write counts on the laminated boards.  (Note: For younger students taking dictation without eighth notes, omit writing the “+”s).

Student listen silently as I play the rhythm pattern once.   As I play it for a second time, I ask them to tap their fingers across their board, moving steadily across the hearts.  We repeat this step several times until they can tap and count along with the rhythm pattern:

Next, students place gemstones on top of each beat (or half beat) on the board.  (Note: any small markers such as bingo chips, coins, etc. could be substituted for the gemstones shown here.)  As I play through the rhythm again, students move their fingers across the board, and “nudge” the gemstones on to each beat where they hear a note:

Once they have successfully diagrammed the rhythm pattern with gemstones, students remove the extra gems from the top of their board and add rhythm cards to show the pattern they heard:

Once students get the hang of taking dictation with the beat boards, it’s easy to transition them to taking dictation on paper, using similar steps and motions.

They write out a designated number of measures and counts:

As they listen to the rhythm pattern, they can move their finger or pencil across the written counts, just as they moved across the hearts on the beat board.   Instead of moving gemstones, they simply dot or slash the beats where they hear notes:

They finish by adding rhythm notation:

Note: I know there are many ways to take written dictation.  If you have a fun or unusual process that works for your students, please leave a comment and share below!!

This week, we’re devoting our group time to listening and ear training activities.   Here’s a peek at an activity I used with my elementary students to work on melodic recognition… with a spring-time twist:

Easter Egg Melody Hunt

For this activity, I printed a couple of spring-themed song sheets from the Kididdles website. (If you haven’t ever discovered this site, be sure to check it out!  I use this all the time when I need familiar songs for group activities.)   To go with our spring theme this month, we used “Little Bunny Foo Foo” and “Rain, Rain, Go Away.”   

I cut each of the songs apart into one-measure pieces, making sure to leave just the notes (no lyrics, measure numbers, etc.) then “hid” each piece inside a plastic Easter egg:

 
When students arrived, we were ready for an Easter egg hunt!  It only took them a couple of minutes to collect all of the eggs from throughout the studio and make a pile in the middle of the room.   We divided the eggs so that each student had an equal number, then students opened each egg to find the melody snippets inside.   

Next, we re-constructed our sheet music puzzle, measure by measure.  I played a measure at the piano, and students searched through their papers to find one that matched.   Since good melodies use repetition, there were often several students who had a copy of the same measure.  It became a race to see who could be the first to jump up with the measure in hand!  

Here’s a picture of one of our finished “puzzles”:

I know that I’m posting this a little on the late side for anyone looking for Easter-themed activities.  But… I also know that those little plastic eggs will be really cheap on after-Easter sales next Monday, and that my students would gladly go on an Easter egg hunt just about any time of the year!   You could easily do this activity without the eggs – just print the music on bright colored paper and hide the pieces throughout your studio for students to hunt and find.

Photo Courtesy of anieto2k on Flickr

“All intellectual improvement arises from leisure.”

~Samuel Johnson~
 

I ran across this quote last week, and thought it was a perfect sentiment to share during this Spring Break month.  

I hope during this busy springtime season that all of you find some time to refuel your creative juices and enjoy a little bit of silence.  Wishing you all a happy spring break!!

All of the New books and sheets listed below are desk copies or inventory books, and are free of any markings.  New books are $2 each, and sheets are $.50 each.  The Used books are from her lending library.   They may have pencil markings, stickers, etc.   Used books are $1 each, sheets are $.25 each.

If you would like to purchase any of the music listed below, send me an email (jen@jenspianostudio.com) with a list of what you’d like and your mailing address.  I’ll send you a total, including shipping, and a link to pay via Paypal.   All books will be shipped via USPS Flat-Rate envelopes or boxes (rates start around $5).   Everything on the list is first-come, first-serve, so if you see some items you want, be sure to email soon!!  

(Update: Books crossed off the list below have been sold)

New Method Books

The Music Tree, Time to Begin
The Music Tree, Time to Begin Activities
The Music Tree, Part 1
The Music Tree, Part 2B Christmas (Duets for Student & Teacher)

Music for Little Mozarts, Lesson Book 1
Music for Little Mozarts, Recital Book 1
Music for Little Mozarts, Workbook 1
Music for Little Mozarts, Discovery Book 1
CD Set, Level 1 (includes CD for Lesson Book & Discovery Book) – unopened ($2)
CD Set, Level 1 (includes CD for Lesson Book & Discovery Book) – gently used ($1)
Mozart Mouse & Beethoven Bear Plush Toys ($2 for set)

Piano Adventures, Technique & Artistry 1
Piano Adventures, Popular Repertoire, Primer

Alfred Premier, Performance 1A
Alfred Premier, Theory 1A
Alfred Premier, Lesson Book 2B
Alfred Premier, Lesson Book 3
Alfred Premier, Theory Book 3

Alfred Chord Approach: Lesson Book, Level 1
Alfred Basic: Theory Book, Level 2
Alfred Basic: Theory Book, Level 3
Alfred Basic: Theory Book, Level 4
Alfred Basic Prep Course: Lesson Book B
Alfred Basic Prep Course: Christmas Book B
Alfred Basic: Ensemble Book, Complete Level 1
Alfred Basic: Duet Book, Level 2

Succeeding at the Piano: Lesson & Technique, Grade 1
Succeeding at the Piano: Theory & Activities, Preparatory Level

Just the Facts Theory Workbook, Level 2 (2 copies)

Other New Books

Succeeding with the Masters, Vol. 1: Classical Era Student Activity Book
Konrad Max Kunz: 200 Short Canons, Book 1 (ed. Hinson)
Cornelius Gurlitt: Little Melodic Etudes, Book 1 (ed. Lew)
Wicked (selections from the Musical) – Hal Leonard Easy Piano 
Jazz Piano from Scratch by Dr. Charles Beale (Book & CD)
Jazz Standards, arr. Ann Collins (Intermediate Level)

New Sheet Music

Early Elementary:
The Squeaky-Squawky Carousel (Pritchard, FJH)
Autumn Suite (Miller, Alfred)
Creepy Crocodile (Rollin, Alfred)

Elementary:
A Lovely World (Montgomery, Alfred)

Late Elementary:
Shelby’s Great Adventure! (Alexander, Alfred)
Tambourine Dance (Mier, Alfred) (2 copies)
Speed Zone (Vandall, Myklas)
Wings of Winter (Setliff, Willis)
The Bells of Saint Basil (Poe, Belwin)

Early Intermediate:
Dynamo Rag (Springer, Alfred)
Lights, Camera, Action (Snell, Kjos)
Basketball Bounce (Pease, Alfred)
In Fourteen Hundred Ninety Two… (Olson, Willis)
Bats in the Belfry! (Vandall, Myklas)
Triaditude (Vandall, Alfred)
The Midnight Marauders (Noona, Heritage)
White Christmas (Berlin, Hal Leonard Big Note Piano)
Fur Elise (arr. Boyd, Hal Leonard “Easy Piano”)

Intermediate:
Dreaming on Ice (Johnston, Alfred)
Muddy Shoes Blues (Mier, Alfred)
Dance Vivace (Karp, Alfred)
Eye of the Storm (Vandall, Alfred)
We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock (arr. Coates, Alfred)
Star Wars (arr. Coates, Alfred)

Late Intermediate:
Toccata (Cuellar, FJH)
Allegro Agitato (Price, Alfred)

Advanced:
Romance (Sibelius, ed. Hinson, Alfred)
Walzer (Goddard, Schott edition)

Gently Used Books

Movie Favorites (Hal Leonard 5-Finger Piano)
Piano Adventures, Popular Repertoire, Book 1
In Recital with Popular Music, Book 1
Piano Adventures, Christmas Book 2A (2 copies – 1 copy left)
Alfred Basic Piano Library, Christmas 1A
Alfred Prep Course, Christmas Level A (some pre-reading)
Garden Creatures – Creative Activities for Piano (Nancy Telfer, Kjos)
Bach 2-Part Inventions (Schaum edition)

Used Sheet Music

Early Elementary
Autumn Days (Leaf, FJH) (Pre-Reading)
Sledding Fun (Otwell, Hal Leonard)
Mozart Mouse (Music for Little Mozarts Series, Level 2)
Beethoven Bear (Music for Little Mozarts Series, Level 2)
Music for Little Mozarts: Halloween Fun, Level 1
Music for Little Mozarts: Christmas Fun, Level 1
My Favorite Cat (Aaronson, Alfred) (2 copies)
City Sonatina (Snell, Kjos)
Teddy Bear Boogie (Bastien, Kjos)
Nothin’ to Do Blues (Mier, Alfred)
Mixed-Up Zoo (Clarke, Alfred)
Awesome Possum (Olson, FJH)
Witches, Bats and Howling Cats (Noona, Heritage)

Elementary
Nate’s Up to Bat (Mier, Alfred)
The Perfect Birthday (Matz, Alfred)
Veggie Song (Linn, Hal Leonard)
Parade of the Stars (Bastien, Kjos)
Scary Larry (Olson, FJH)
The Statue of Liberty (Matz, Alfred)
Victory Bells (Hauber, Myklas)
Horseback Camp (Hidy/Snell, Kjos)
Sombrero Sam (Lancaster, Alfred)

Late Elementary
Elephant Stomp (Olson, FJH)
Moonlight Sonata (arr. Small, Alfred)
In the Hall of the Mountain King (arr. Mier, Alfred)
Tarantella: Spider at Midnight (Austin, Willis)
Breezes Gently Blowing (Hudelson, Willis)
Bumble Bee (Olson, Fischer)

Early Intermediate
Traffic Jam! (Olson, Alfred)
Tarantella Brillante (Vandall, Myklas)
For You Alone (Coates, Alfred)

Intermediate
Jazz Dance (Minsky, Alfred)

Musikgarten Materials
These sets are all in new condition.  Prices as marked. 

Cycle of Seasons Set ($35): Includes Teacher’s Guidebook, 192 Activity Cards w/ 2 Binders, 6 CDs (pending sale)

Family Music for Babies Set ($25): Includes Teacher’s Guidebook, 100  Activity Cards, 2 Parent Guidebooks (w/ CDs)

Family Music: Volume 1 Set ($25) Includes Teacher’s Guidebook, 100 Activity Cards w/ Binder, 2 CDs, 2 Parent Guidebooks (pending sale)

Nature’s Music Supplemental Set ($10): Includes CD, Binder & 36 Activity Cards (pending sale)

Flashcard BINGO – Letter Names

This BINGO game is designed to be really flexible.   All you need to play is a deck of flashcards that can be answered with a letter of the music alphabet (i.e. notes on the staff, piano keys, etc.).    Students take turns as the BINGO “caller” by naming the note they see on a flashcard.   When a student correctly identifies a note, every student is allowed to add a gamepiece to their BINGO board.   

What I loved about this game was the fact I could adapt it easily to different levels of students by simply changing what flashcards I used.  My first-year students identified piano key names and a small range on notes on the staff.  My second-year students identified a larger range of notes on the staff, and so on.   You could easily use this to get in a little extra practice on “trouble” spots on the staff – like those pesky bass clef notes nobody likes to learn!

You can download the set of 6 BINGO boards on the Games Page.   If you need flash cards, there are several sets that could be used with this (including a giant-sized set of grand staff cards that are a great size for group games) on the Flash Cards Page.

Flashcard BINGO – Key Signatures

This version of flashcard BINGO adds accidentals, and is designed to be used with Key Signature Flash Cards.    You can find the BINGO boards on the Games Page, and a set of Key Signature Flash Cards on the Flash Cards Page.  (Look for a file called “Key Signature Matching Cards” – the printable file includes a set of cards that can be used for several games.)

I’ve been privileged to serve as a coordinator for our local association’s Multi-Piano Concerts for the last three years.  It’s an exciting program – this year’s event featured two concerts with 16 grand pianos and over 450 performers.  (That’s a LOT of piano keys and fingers!!)  

One of my favorite parts of the planning process is the opportunity to play through stacks and stacks (and stacks!) of duet literature with a team of colleagues each spring to choose a theme and repertoire for the concerts.   This year’s concerts featured the theme “Destination: Musique”, with music that highlighted various destinations around the world.  

Here’s a list of some of my favorite pieces from the year, for any of you who enjoy teaching duet literature, or might be looking for some new pieces for upcoming studio recitals:

(Note: Click on any of the highlighted titles below to view video clips of the pieces from the concert)

Late Elementary Repertoire:

A Bell Carol and Jalapeno Hop, both by Melody Bober
These are from her Grand Duets Series, Book 3.   I’ve used several pieces out of this book with students, and love them all.  

The Sky is Dark - Traditional Taiwanese, arr. Emilie Lin
This is definitely an “off-the-beaten-path” kind of piece!  It’s from a book titled Gifts of Asia that contains primarily solo repertoire, along with a couple of duets.  Lots of fun pieces in here for a world-music theme recital.  

Early Intermediate Repertoire:

Upside-Down Tango by Martha Mier  
Like duets with some kind of fun gimmick?   This piece requires primo and secondo players to switch places half-way through.    My students loved it (although one nearly fell off the bench during the concert!).

Springtime Waltz by Glenda Austin
This is a lovely light piece that appealed to several of the girls in my studio.  It’s also available in a solo arrangement (see this post for more details).

Irish Air by Robert Vandall
This lyrical piece gives the secondo player a great share of melody playing.  (Sorry, no video clip to share for this one, but you can hear a sample audio clip here.)

Intermediate Repertoire:

The Winds of Time by Kathleen Jendrusik and Carolyn Miller 
There’s lots of drama in this piece… and it’s easier than it sounds, so it’s a good piece for busy teen students.  

Midnight Sea by Mike Springer
This piece is full of surprises – unique harmonies in the opening, and a melody that shifts evenly between the primo and secondo player.  

Bravo Brasilia by Glenda Austin
This piece is, in a word… addicting.  The Latin rhythms are a bit of a challenge, but well worth it!!  (No video clip on this on either… sorry!  You can hear a clip and see music here.)

Late Intermediate Repertoire:

Morning Has Broken, Traditional Gaelic, arr. Melody Bober
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of teaching this piece.   It’s a beautiful piece, and a fantastic arrangement.  It’s available in FJH’s In Recital Duets, Book 6.

Prayer for Peace by David Karp
This piece features a beautiful, soulful melody.  It’s been a hit with several of my students over the years.

Big River Barn Dance by Carrie Kraft
This lively duet is always a crowd pleaser!  It’s got a rustic, “Americana” feel reminiscent of Copland.

Advanced Repertoire:

Dragon Dance by Nancy Faber
This was a real showstopper – fast, flashy and SO fun to play!!

The Scarlet Cape by Ralph Federer
Want a laugh for a Friday?  Go check out this duet team performing this piece.  Even without the antics, it’s a fantastic piece!   

A full repertoire list from this year’s concerts (including information on where to find these duets) is available on the KCMTA webpage.  

Have any of you run across new duets this year that you love?  Or have any long-time favorites?  If so, I’d love for you to leave a comment below and share about them… I’m always on the lookout for new pieces to add to my duet library!!

I picked up this Eggspert Quizzing System after Christmas, and was anxious to try it out with my students.  (Many thanks to Wendy at ComposeCreate for sharing about this fantastic little teaching aid – it was a BIG hit with the kids!)   For this game we used the “Wheel of Fortune” setting that randomly chooses a color.   If you don’t have an Eggspert system, you could easily play this game with a 6-colored spinner or a dice with colored stickers applied.  

Each of the colored decks of cards in the picture above asks a different kind of accidental-related question:

Pink Cards: Correctly Draw an Accidental (you'll need to laminate cards and use a dry erase marker)

Orange Cards: Name a note that is an enharmonic equivalent

Yellow Cards: Identify whole and half steps

Green Cards: Name a note on the staff with an accidental

Blue Cards: Answer a True or False question about enharmonic notes

Purple Cards: Decide if an accidental question has been answered correctly or incorrectly

Here’s how to play:
Place the 6 decks of cards in a row, face down.  Divide students into 2 teams and select a team to play first.  For each turn, the team will use the Eggspert, spinner or die to randomly determine a color, then draw a card from the corresponding deck and answer the question.  If the team answers correctly, they may keep the card.  If they answer incorrectly, the card is returned to the bottom of the desk.  Play continues with the next team.

The object of the game is to collect the most cards by the end of a designated amount of time.  Each deck contains several “Bonus” cards that add a fun and random element to the game.  A set of directions, including a list of bonus cards and how they are used, is included in the game file.  

You can download the game file from the Free Games page of this site.   The file contains a page of instructions for assembly and play.  

I’m also posting a short worksheet I used with my groups to review accidental placement before we played Accidental Adventure:

This worksheet is available for download on the Free Theory Sheets page.   Enjoy!

 Resistance Band Rhythms

Does anyone recognize this bright-colored piece of exercise paraphernalia?   Resistance bands, designed for strength training and physical therapy, can be re-purposed into a great rhythm helper!  (And now is the perfect time to go snag one from one of those store-front post-New-Year’s exercise equipment displays!!).  

These bands are one of my go-to tools when students are struggling to hold long notes for their full durations.   With a band in their hands, the long notes suddenly become fun notes!

In this video clip, Sonia demonstrates how we use the band to show duration.  In the first part of the clip, we practice the motions she’ll use with different notes.  Once she’s comfortable with the band, I ask her to stretch as I play a passage:

After we’ve worked, and she can successfully match her motions to my sound, I ask her to look at the printed music as she stretches.  Ideally, she’ll make a connection between what she feels, hears and finally sees:

 Now we’re ready to head back to the piano to see if her long notes have improved!  

You can find resistance bands at most stores that carry sporting or exercise equipment. The bands come in a variety of strengths; you’ll want one with a light resistance level so young arms can handle it!  

P.S. Sorry about the fact that the videos are showing in a funky vertical orientation.  I didn’t discover until I had shot several clips on my new iPad that I need to record with it sitting in horizontal orientation, NOT vertical!!  Please excuse my learning curve!!  

If you’re new to this site, I’d encourage you to take a look through the “Teacher Resources” menu above.  You’ll find all of the printable games and resources I shared during the workshop, along with much, much more!  

As promised, here’s the link to a digital copy of the list of resources in your workshop handout, complete with links to the different resources I mentioned:

Hands-On Theory Resources (245.8 KiB)

I hope you’ll enjoy browsing through the different resources on this site, and find some things you and your students will enjoy.  Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions about anything you find here!  

Pianimation is now available on Google Currents. 

If you are using an Apple or Android device to read this blog post, and you already have Google Currents installed, I invite you to click here to add the Pianimation Edition.

Google Currents is a touch optimized news-reader and magazine app recently released by Google. It is now available for download in the Android Market and the Apple App Store for US users only. It’s been called one of the best apps of 2011.

I keep up with my favorite blogs in many ways: email, Google Reader, Facebook and Twitter. Google Currents is just another option. It’s main advantage over RSS readers and other apps lies in it’s ability to display content elegantly when you are not connected to the internet. My iPad is the WiFi only version, and Google Currents lets me read articles when I’ve got time to kill and no internet connection.  (Although… it’s still a fun way to read articles when you are connected ).  

The content found in the Google Currents Pianimation Edition is basically the same content that you’ll find via any other method of reading the Pianimation blog. However, I am playing around with some options in the Mobile Resources section that you’ll see in the edition. We’ll see if it amounts to much, but I’m hoping to make resources for mobile (Apple and Android) devices easier to find and use (when connected to the internet) from that page.

I’d love to hear what you think in the comments section below.